While liberals of a certain age continue to bemoan the lack of protests and demonstrations against the Iraq war, in swoop Steven Spielberg and Aaron Sorkin to remind the nation about the politically tumultuous summer of 1968. Sorkin, the writer behind "The West Wing" and "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," has been hired by Spielberg's DreamWorks to draft three screenplays.

With every studio in Hollywood looking to tap into "Harry Potter" and "Chronicles of Narnia" fever, DreamWorks Studios is placing its bet on the magical "Children of the Lamp" series. DreamWorks has licensed the film rights to "Children of the Lamp," author P.B. Kerr's popular series of novels about globe-trotting twin tweens who learn that they are from a family of djinn, or genies, who pass for human but have the power to grant wishes.

It was a quarter-century in the making, but then again, nothing is easy for cartoon heroes such as Tintin. Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks, a division of Viacom Inc., has committed to produce at least one movie about the adventures of the intrepid Belgian reporter, said Nick Rodwell, head of Moulinsart NV, Tintin's commercial studio in Brussels. "After 25 years, they finally said, 'OK, let's go,' " Rodwell said Thursday of the protracted talks with Spielberg.

Viacom Inc.'s year-old acquisition of DreamWorks SKG's live-action studio has been, at times, more of a nightmare than a dream. A year after David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg sold the studio for $1.6 billion to Viacom's Paramount Pictures, simmering tensions, backbiting and internal power plays between the co-founders and the new owner suggest a case of sellers' remorse. The self-described "Dream team" seems to be having trouble adjusting to its new home. And that comes as little surprise to Hollywood.

THE biggest winner in the Oscar nomination derby was also the biggest loser. And that left Hollywood buzzing about what derailed the "Dreamgirls" machine. The flashy Motown-inspired musical scored the most nominations (eight), but was shut out of the marquee races, notably best picture. The snub signaled a stunning blow for a $100-million film that was positioned by its producers, DreamWorks SKG and Paramount Pictures, as a major Oscar contender even while it was still in production.

DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. said Chief Financial Officer Kristina Leslie would leave the company. A search will begin for a replacement, Glendale-based DreamWorks said. Leslie, 42, will remain in the job until February to oversee the company's annual results. Her unexpected departure comes as DreamWorks struggles to match the success of "Shrek."

Five months after being fired as president of Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, Nina Jacobson has rejoined DreamWorks SKG as a producer. Before coming to Disney in 1998, Jacobson had been a top film executive at DreamWorks, the studio founded by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen that was sold last year to Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures. DreamWorks co-Chairman Stacey Snider, the former movie chief at Universal Pictures, made the deal with Jacobson.

Billionaire Paul Allen, who was instrumental in the launch of DreamWorks SKG, announced Wednesday that he was winding down his bumpy 12-year partnership with Hollywood's "dream team." The Microsoft Corp. co-founder said he would dissolve a private partnership that controls DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. and sell about half of his shares in a secondary offering that will probably take place next month.

Investors in DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. had reason to celebrate after the Glendale-based film studio announced better-than-expected second-quarter profit late Thursday. But the champagne quickly ran out Friday. After months of declining share prices, the company's financial results pushed DreamWorks' stock up only 1.5% to $20.61 a share. Analysts and company executives expect the shares to continue to struggle over the coming weeks, regardless of how well DreamWorks performs.